CLEVELAND, Ohio - The streak is over, but that doesn't mean the winning has to stop.

The Indians, less than 24 hours after their AL record 22-game winning streak ended, rebounded on Saturday afternoon to beat the Royals, 8-4, at Progressive Field. The win put the Indians in position to clinch their second straight AL Central championship Saturday night should Toronto beat the Twins at Target Field.

It would be the first time that the Indians have won consecutive division titles since Mike Hargrove's Indians did It from 1995-99.

"We had good energy today," said manager Terry Francona. "I was happy about that. I didn't think we wouldn't, but it was nice to see them go right back and try to be as good a team as we can be."

Carlos Carrasco won his 16th game and Francisco Lindor had three hits to lead the Indians to their 92nd victory. Carrasco (16-6, 3.48), Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer have won 16 games each this season.

"Cookie scattered some runs, but I thought he had a really good change up," said Francona. "He threw some change-ups that looked like breaking balls to me."

It's the first time the Indians have had three 16-game winners in the same year since 1956 when Bob Lemon, Early Wynn and Herb score did it. Lemon, Wynn and Score finished with 20 wins that season.

Carrasco, who improved to 11-2 with a 2.11 ERA in the AL Central, allowed four runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five and walked two.

"To be honest with you, I didn't think we'd get to a lot of these numbers," said Carrasco. "But right now we're at 92 wins. I think that's more important and we're still hungry because of last year. That's why we're playing hard every day."

Carrasco said he was proud to be a part of the streak, but added, "At some point it was going to end. We won today and tomorrow is a new day."

Lindor and Austin Jackson turned a tight game into a runaway in the sixth. Lindor, with two out, doubled high off the left field wall to score Yandy Diaz and Abraham Almonte for a 5-2 lead.

Jackson followed with a single to center to score Lindor. When center fielder Lorenzo Cain threw home, Jackson took off for second. He drew a throw from catcher Drew Butera, but the throw skipped past second and into center field. The ball also evaded Cain as it rolled toward the center field fence, allowing Jackson to score for a 7-2 lead.

"I was reading the throw home and Eric Hosmer (the cutoff man) moved back a little bit like he was going to let the throw go through," said Jackson. "I just went hard to second to try and distract them and make sure the run (Lindor) score."

Edwin Encarnacion brought the Tribe's scoring to an end with a leadoff homer in the seventh. Encarnacion hit a 432-foot bolt over the camera well in dead center field for his 35th homer and 92 RBI.

"It's good to have that anchor in the middle of the lineup, especially when you don't have Michael Brantley," said Francona.

The Indians beat Jason Hammel (8-12, 5.05) for the second straight time this season. The first three times Hammel faced the Tribe this year, he emerged the winner. Hammel allowed seven runs, six earned, in six innings.

The Indians, 23-1 in their last 24 games, are 16-1 in September.

Almonte's sacrifice fly in the second gave the Indians a 1-0 lead. Jay Bruce opened the inning with a double and took third on a strikeout/wild pitch by Hammel to Diaz. The sacrifice fly was just the second of the season for Almonte.

Carrasco, 6-1 in his last eight starts, opened with two scoreless innings. Alex Gordon changed that with 431-foot solo homer to right center with one out in the third. It was the 21st homer Carrasco has allowed this season and the seventh for Gordon.

The Indians responded with two runs in the third for a 3-1 lead. Lindor singled and Jackson walked to start the rally. Carlos Santana singled home Lindor and Encarnacion delivered Jackson with a sacrifice fly for his 91st RBI.

The Royals made it 3-2 in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Moss. Melky Cabrera, who came into the game hitting .306 (11-for-36) against Carrasco, opened the inning with a ground rule double down the right field line. He took third on a wild pitch and scored on Moss's fly ball.

What it means

Francona was asked before Saturday's game if Andrew Miller was still scheduled to make his second appearance Sunday since coming off the disabled list. Francona told reporters that there had been a change in plans, but he didn't want to talk about it until after the game.

When Miller relieved Carrasco with two out in the seventh the mystery was solved. Miller's timetable had been moved up a day, but Francona didn't want to announce it to the Royals before the game.

Miller, with a man on first, retired Lorenzo Cain on a liner to center to end the inning. Zach McAllister started the eighth for the Tribe.

"The medical people just decided that they'd rather have Andrew pitch on Saturday and then he could have Sunday and Monday's off-day next," said Francona.

Lindor's two-run double in the sixth gave him an extra base hit in 10 straight games. It's the longest single-season streak in franchise history. He was tied with Hal Trosky (in 1934) at nine.

Thanks for coming

The Royals and Indians drew 33,688 to Progressive Field on Saturday afternoon. First pitch was at 4:10 p.m. with a temperature of 75 degrees.

It was the 11th sellout of the season for the Indians.

Next

The Indians will end their season series against the Royals on Sunday when they send Corey Kluber (16-4, 2.44) to the mound at 1:10 p.m. Kansas City is scheduled to bring lefty Danny Duffy off the disabled list to pitch. Duffy has been on the DL with a left forearm issue.

Kluber is coming off a shutout of the Tigers in his last start. It was his third shutout and fifth complete game of the season. He's 1-0 against the Royals this season.